Adenium plant named ‘LEELADE205’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Adenium  cultivar named ‘LEELADE205’ is disclosed, characterized by unique double red flowers with a greyed-purple margin. The new variety is a  Adenium,  typically produced as an indoor ornamental plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Adenium obesum.

Variety denomination: ‘LEELADE205’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This application relates to a new cultivar of Adenium obesum. The newvariety is the product of a planned breeding program. The new varietyoriginated as a seedling from the crossing of the unpatented,proprietary seed parent Adenium obesum ‘VCKRR2’ with the unpatented,proprietary pollen parent referred to as Adenium obesum ‘VKGR1’. Thecrossing was made by the inventor in a non-commercial nursery during2006.

The new variety was first selected by the inventor, Anong Leelachaikul,a citizen of Thailand, in October 2008, at the same nursery in Bangkok,Thailand. After identifying the new variety as a potentially interestingselection, the inventor continued confidential testing and propagationof ‘LEELADE205’, assessing stability of the unique characteristics ofthis variety.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘LEELADE205’ was firstperformed in July 2009, at a commercial nursery in Bangkok, Thailand bytaking a nodal cutting from the new variety and grafting that to arootstock plant. The rootstock plants are started from seed, and areunnamed, unpatented varieties of Adenium obesum. Access to all plantswas restricted, as plants were kept in a greenhouse not open to thepublic. Through subsequent propagation by vegetative cuttings, multiplegenerations have been reproduced, which have shown that the uniquefeatures of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘LEELADE205’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘LEELADE205’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘LEELADE205’ as a new and distinct Adeniumcultivar:

-   -   1. Double flowers.    -   2. Deep red flowers with a greyed-purple margin.

PARENT COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘LEELADE205’ are similar to the seed parent,Adenium ‘VCKRR2’ in most horticultural characteristics. The new variety,however, produces double layered flowers whereas the seed parentproduces single layered flowers.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘LEELADE205’ are similar to the pollenparent, Adenium ‘VKGR1’ in most horticultural characteristics. The newvariety, however, produces flowers in a different color of red, than thepollen parent ‘VKGR1’.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘LEELADE205’ are similar to the commercialvariety, Adenium ‘Valentine Rose’ in most horticultural characteristics.However, the new variety differs in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. The petal margin of ‘Leelade205’ are greyed-purple, those of        ‘Valentine Rose’ are dark red/purple but much lighter.    -   2. Different petal shape

Plants of the new cultivar ‘LEELADE205’ are similar to the commercialvariety, Adenium ‘Black Sea’ in most horticultural characteristics.However, the new variety differs in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Red coloration of ‘Leelade205’ is more intense.    -   2. Dark petal margin coloration of ‘Black Sea’ is wider.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color atypical plant of ‘LEELADE205’ grafted outdoors in Thailand and grown ina commercial greenhouse in Honselersdijk, the Netherlands. This plant isapproximately 9 months old from the graft, shown planted in 15 cm.container. The plant has been grown according to the details in thefollowing paragraph. The photograph was taken using conventionaltechniques and although colors may appear different from actual colorsdue to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventionalphotographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart 2001, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ‘LEELADE205’ plants grown according to thefollowing protocols.

Taking place in a commercial nursery, outdoors in Bangkok, Thailand,rootstock is grown from seeds. Seeds are planted and grown for 12-14months. After that, heads are taken off the rootstock plants and theplants are grafted together with the selected variety.

Grafting is done by means of taking a nodal cutting from the candidatevariety and placing that on top of the cut of the rootstock plant.Immediately after that, the top of the plant is covered by a layer ofplastic and tied down by a rubber band. The plastic covers the actualgraft entirely.

Rootstock plants during the first few weeks after seeding are grownunder shade, and after that they are grown in Thailand in full sun.Stock plants of the candidate variety, resulting in the nodal cuttingare also grown in Thailand in full sun.

During and until 1-2 weeks after grafting, plants are placed in agreenhouse that has both shade cloth and overhead plastic. This protectsthe grafted plants against the sun and the rain. After that, the graftedplants are placed in full sun again.

Three to four months after grafting, the grafted plants are cut back andshipped to the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, the plants continue togrow for 3-5 months, after which they are sold as flowering plant.Therefore, counted from the date of grafting, it takes 6-9 months toproduce a finished flowering plant.

In Thailand the plants grow under natural conditions, with temperaturesranging approximately from 10° C. to 40° C., and very bright sunlight.In the Netherlands, the plants are grown in a greenhouse with averageday temperature about 26 degrees Celsius and average night temperatureabout 22 degrees Celsius, un-shaded, to allow as much natural light aspossible.

Measurements and numerical values below represent averages of typicalplant types.

-   Botanical classification: Adenium obesum ‘LEELADE205’.

PROPAGATION

-   Root description: The plant described is grafted and does not have    its own roots for description.

PLANT

-   Caudex description:    -   -   Diameter.—Average: 5.1 cm.        -   Height.—Average: 14.0 cm.        -   Color.—Greyed-green, near RHS 195A and 196B.        -   Texture.—Smooth, very slightly glossy.-   Plant spread: Approximately 20.6 cm.-   Plant height:    -   -   Top of flowering plane, average.—24.5 cm.        -   Top of foliar plane, average.—24.5 cm.-   Growth rate: Moderate.-   Length of primary stem: Approximately 3.0 cm.-   Diameter of primary stem: Approximately 1.8 cm.-   Stem color: Greyed-green, in between near RHS 191A and 198A.-   Stem texture: Smooth, very slightly glossy.-   Lateral branches:    -   -   Quantity.—3 (after pinching).        -   Length.—7.9 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.6 cm.        -   Color.—Young stems green, near RHS 143B, older stems            greyed-green, near RHS 191A to 191B and 198A.        -   Texture/pubescence.—Smooth, moderately glossy.-   Internode length: Approximately 0.3 cm.-   Age of plant described: Approximately 9 months from grafting.    Grafted plants grown in the Netherlands, in a commercial greenhouse.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Quantity.—Approximately 13 per lateral branch.        -   Average length.—Approximately 7.2 cm.        -   Average width.—Approximately 3.2 cm.        -   Shape of blade.—Oblanceolate.        -   Apex.—Abruptly acute.        -   Base.—Narrow cuneate.        -   Attachment.—Sessile.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture of top surface.—Smooth, glossy.        -   Texture of bottom surface.—Smooth, matte.        -   Pubescence.—No pubescence.        -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Green, near RHS 143A. Young            foliage under side: Green to yellow-green, near in between            RHS 143C and 144B. Mature foliage upper side: Green, near            RHS N137A. Mature foliage under side: Green, near RHS 138B.        -   Venation.—Type: Pinnate. Venation color upper side:            Greyed-green, near RHS 192B. Venation color under side:            Greyed-green, near RHS 192A.        -   Petiole.—No petioles present, leaves sessile.

FLOWERING CHARACTERISTICS

-   Natural flowering season: In Thailand, the plants flower all year    around, but during periods of heavy rain, the plants do drop most or    all of their flowers. Therefore, especially during the rainy seasons    in Thailand, the plants will not flower so heavily as during the dry    seasons. In the Netherlands, the plants will naturally flower most    heavily during periods of very heavy sun and long days, particularly    in July and August and to a lesser extent in June and September.-   Inflorescence type and habit: Axillary compound cyme.-   Flower longevity on plant: Average: After fully opening, the flowers    will stay on the plant on average between 5-10 days.-   Quantity of flowers: About 6 buds and 4 fully opened flowers per    plant, at one time.-   Inflorescence size:    -   -   Diameter.—Approximately 12.8 cm.        -   Height.—Approximately 8.8 cm.-   Individual flower size:    -   -   Diameter.—Average: 8.1 cm.        -   Flower tube length.—Average: 5.2 cm.        -   Flower tube diameter at distal end.—Average: 2.0 cm.        -   Flower tube diameter at proximal end.—Average: 0.5 cm.-   Petals:    -   -   Petal arrangement.—Rotate.        -   Length from throat.—Average: 3.8 cm.        -   Width.—Average: 4.4 cm.        -   Quantity.—Average: 5.        -   Texture.—Smooth, slightly velvety, dull.        -   Margin.—Crinkled to irregular shallowly incised.        -   Tip shape.—Irregular shallowly incised lobes.        -   Petaloids.—Average: 10, average length from throat: 3.0 cm,            average width: 4.0 cm, texture: smooth, slightly velvety,            dull, margins crinkled to irregular shallowly incised, tip            shaped broad acute.-   Color:    -   -   Petals.—When opening: Upper surface: Red-purple, near RHS            N57A, base lighter red-purple, RHS N57B, outer margins            greyed-purple, RHS N186B but slightly darker. Lower surface:            Red, near RHS 53D, base purple, RHS 76D, outer margins            greyed-purple, RHS N186B but slightly darker. Fully opened:            Upper surface: Red-purple, near RHS N57A, base lighter            red-purple, RHS N57B, outer margins greyed-purple, RHS N186B            but slightly darker. Lower surface: Red, near RHS 53D, base            purple, RHS 76D, outer margins greyed-purple, RHS N186B but            slightly darker. Flower throat (inside): White, NN155B.            Flower throat, vein: White, NN155B. Flower tube (outside):            Yellow, near RHS 2D. Flower tube, vein: Yellow, near RHS 2D.            Fading Petals fading to: Not fading.-   Color:    -   -   Petaloids.—When opening: Upper surface: Red-purple, near RHS            N57A, base lighter red-purple, RHS N57B, outer margins            greyed-purple, RHS N186B but slightly darker. Lower surface:            Red, near RHS 53D, base purple, RHS 76D, outer margins            greyed-purple, RHS N186B but slightly darker. Fully opened:            Upper surface: Red-purple, near RHS N57A, base lighter            red-purple, RHS N57B, outer margins greyed-purple, RHS            N186B. Lower surface: Red, near RHS 53D, base purple, RHS            76D, outer margins greyed-purple, RHS N186B but slightly            darker. Fading Petaloids fading to: Not fading.-   Bud:    -   -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.        -   Length.—Average: 4.4 cm.        -   Diameter.—Average: 1.2 cm.        -   Color.—Yellow-green, near RHS 145C, top red, RHS 53B.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Length.—Average: 0.8 cm.        -   Diameter.—Average: 0.3 cm.        -   Color.—Yellow-green, near RHS 144B.        -   Orientation.—Outward.        -   Strength.—Moderately strong.-   Pedicel:    -   -   Length.—Average: 0.8 cm.        -   Diameter.—Average: 0.3 cm.        -   Color.—Yellow-green, near RHS 144B.        -   Orientation.—Outward to upright.        -   Strength.—Moderately strong.-   Sepals:    -   -   Quantity per flower.—Average: 5.        -   Shape.—Narrow ovate.        -   Length.—Approximately 0.7 cm.        -   Width.—Approximately 0.3 cm.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Color.—Upper and lower surfaces Yellow-green; near RHS 145B.        -   Apex.—Mucronulate.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Stamens:    -   -   Number.—Average: 5.        -   Filament length.—Approximately 0.4 cm.-   Anthers:    -   -   Shape.—Linear.        -   Length.—Approximately 2.8 cm.        -   Color.—Red, near RHS 55B to 54A.        -   Pollen.—Color: No pollen detected. Quantity: No pollen            detected.-   Pistil:    -   -   Number.—Average: 1.        -   Length.—Approximately 1.7 cm.        -   Style.—Length: Approximately 1.65 cm. Color: Yellow-green,            near RHS 145A to 145B.        -   Stigma.—Shape: Club-shaped. Color: Yellow-green, near RHS            145B. Ovary color: Yellow-green, near RHS 144B.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Disease resistance: Good resistance to the normal diseases found in    Adenium.-   Drought tolerance and cold tolerance: Normal for species, USDA zone    10 and higher.-   Fruit/seed production: No fruits/seeds detected to date.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Adenium plantnamed ‘LEELADE205’ as herein illustrated and described.